This invention relates to the assembly of sleeves to shirt bodies, in the manufacture of shirts, particularly short sleeved pullover shirts and, where appropriate, long sleeve shirts as well.
Pursuant to the teachings of the before mentioned applications, individual sleeve sections are loaded, either automatically or manually, over opposite ends of a body form device. In some instances, especially where the sleeve sections are loaded manually, the sleeve sections are applied first to the body form, and then the shirt body is applied over the body form. The shoulder openings of the shirt body are aligned with the edges of the tubular sleeve sections, and the opposite ends of the body form are presented successively to sewing stations for sewing of the sleeves to the shoulder openings of the shirt body. Where the system is provided with means for automatic loading of sleeve sections, it is advantageous to first apply the shirt body section to the body form, and thereafter automatically load the sleeve sections over the outside of shoulder portions of the shirt body, aligning the edges of the sleeves with the shoulder openings for subsequent sewing operations.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, provision is made for initially loading tubular sleeve sections over forms, referred to as sleeve cones, which are arranged to be surrounded by a subsequently loaded shirt body. To this end, the apparatus of the invention includes a retractable body form, preferably in the form of a pair of body shell sections. In a retracted or open position, the body shell sections expose the sleeve cones to accommodate sleeve-loading operations. Thereafter, the body shell sections close over the sleeve cones and the loaded sleeve sections, allowing a shirt body to be loaded over the outside of the sleeve sections.
To particular advantage, the retractable body shell sections are formed with axially retractable end portions which, during the loading of a shirt body section over the closed body shell, extend axially outward to completely conceal and protect the ends of the previously loaded sleeve sections. After the shirt body section is properly positioned over the body shell, the end sections of the body shell are retracted axially to provide access to end margins of the sleeve sections during subsequent sewing operations.
In one advantageous form of the present invention, a load fixture is provided which includes movable sleeve cones, which can be reoriented relative to the balance of the body form, so that both shoulder cones are simultaneously or separately presented end-on to the machine operator, making them more accessible for manual loading. This renders the sleeve loading operations more convenient and expeditious. After loading, the sleeves are reoriented to normal, axially spaced and opposed positions. The retractable body shells are then closed over the sleeve cones to accommodate commencement of loading of a shirt body.
Pursuant to another feature of the invention, an entire load fixture, comprising the body form mechanism and sleeve cones, is detachably connected to a carrier means, preferably a central turret, by which the load fixtures may be advanced from station to station for the performance of different operations. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, there are four work stations: a loading station, a first sleeve sewing station, a second sleeve sewing station, and an unloading/stacking station. A turret is thus arranged for 90.degree. indexing movements. After loading of a load fixture with sleeve sections and a shirt body section, the turret is indexed 90.degree., presenting the loaded fixture to the first sewing station. At the first sewing station, the load fixture is first gripped at opposite "shoulders" and then detached from the indexing turret. The entire load fixture is then rotated about the axis of the "shoulders" while the sewing of the first shoulder seam takes place. The fixture is then reattached to the indexing turret, which [then] indexes through another 90.degree. to present the loaded fixture to the second sewing station. At the second sewing station, the load fixture is again detached from the turret and rotated about its "shoulder" axis while a second sewing machine sews the second shoulder seam of the shirt. After completion of this operation, the load fixture is reattached to the indexing turret and indexed another 90.degree. to the unloading/stacking station. At that station, the shirt body, with sewn-on sleeves, is gripped and removed from the body form and deposited on a stacking bar. A preferred system is provided with four index positions, so that operations are being performed simultaneously at all four work stations after each indexing movement of the turret.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.